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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. T. B. HOPPER. DUMPING WAGON.

No. 604,697. Patented May 24, 1898.

ungmmg INVENTOR W v I I Attorney (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

T. B. HOPPER. DUMPING WAGON.

No. 604,697. Patented May 24, 1898.

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THOMAS E. HOPPER, OF YOUNTVILLE, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- IIALF TO N. IV. COLLINS AND H. L. GUNN, OF NAPA, CALIFORNIA.

DUMPING WAGON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent lfio. 604,697, dated May 24, 1898. Application filed October 25, 1897. Serial No. 656,350. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS B. HOPPER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Yountville, in the county of Napa and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dumping- Wagons; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in clumping-wagons.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, most strong and durable, effective, cheap, and easily-operated dumping-wagon of an improved construction and composed of a minim um number of parts for accomplishing the necessaryfunctions of such a device and which can be easily operated and controlled to quickly dump the contents of the wagon and return the bottomsections of the wagon to their normal closed posit-ions and can be easily locked in the closed position.

The invention consists in certain novel fea tures of construction and in combinations and in arrangements of parts, as more fully and particularly pointed out and described hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View looking down on my improved wagon, showing the rocking bottom sections in their normal closed and locked positions. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the wagon, showing its bottom in dumping position with the rocking bottom sections swung down. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the bottom of the wagon locked in closed position. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the bottom of the wagon in dumping position with the rocking sections turned down or in position on edge. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view, reduced, of one of the bottom rocking sections and showing the relative positions of the end journals to the section.

In the drawings, a a are the ends, and b b the parallel sides, of the body of an oblong or elongated wagon, mounted in any suitable manner on the axles or other runninggear, provided with any suitable supportingwheels.

I will not describe the runninggear or wheels, as such form no part of my invention and as any suitable running-gear and Wheels can be employed to support my improved Wagon-body, having its peculiar dumping apparatus and the controlling means therefor.

The floor or bottom of the wagon-body is composed of a series of parallelhorizontal rocking sections 0, arranged lengthwise in the body or parallel with the sides thereof. The sections are usually formed all of the same width and length, and any suitable number are employed to form the floor or bottom of the body. Each section has a journal 61 at each end, the two projecting journals of each section being arranged in the same plane parallel with the length of the section, but to one side of the center of the length of the section, so that each section has a greater area and weight on one side of the axis on which it rocks than on the other side. Hence each section, if free to rock, would assume a vertical position on edge. These journals d are mounted in suitable bearings in the lower portions of the wagon-body ends, and each journal preferably consists of a bar secured longitudinally along the under side of the section, with the cylindrical journal projecting beyond the end of the section and in a plane to one side of the center of the thickness of the section, .for the purpose hereinafter set forth in detail. The first section at one side of the body, having its journals adjacent to the body side, is arranged when in closed position with its outer edge directly against the inner surface of the wagon-body side, while the section at the opposite side of the body has its downwardly edge arranged to close up to the wagon-body side. Hence a stop-strip e is secured rigidly along the inner face of the wagon-body side for said rocking section to close up against and to limit the upward movement thereof. The upper face of this strip is beveled downwardly, so as not to catch and hold the contents of the cart when dumped.

When the bottom of the body is closed, the adjacent edges of the rocking sections close up against each other to form the complete floor, and the upwardly-swinging side edges of each rocking section have the plates or strips f, secured to the top faces of the section 5, forming flanges projecting outwardly beyond said upwardly-swinging edges and against the under sides of which the upwardlyswinging edges of the adjacent sections close and which thereby lock the sections of the floor against continued upward movement after reaching the horizontal position and also form tight joints between the sections when the bottom is in closed position.

9 is a windlass-shaft arranged transversely across the upper portion or top of the wagonbody, preferably at or near the center of the length thereof, and mounted to turn in suitable bearings in the sides of the wagon-body. This shaft has a turning-crank g at one end at the outer side of the wagon-body. The windlass-shaft is provided with a series of eyes it or other suitable fastening means rigid therewith, an eye being provided for each rocking bottom section and arranged above the same, each eye usually being arranged above the plane of the axis of arocking section. Chains t' or other suitable loose connections extend from said eyes downwardly to the rocking sections and at their lower ends are suitably secured thereto by eyes or other desirable means. The lower end of each chain is secured to the upper face of its respective rocking section and near the downwardly-swinging edge of the sectionthat is, between the axial line on which the section turns and the side edge of section which drops down when the sections are rocked to dump the contents of the cart. The lower ends of the chains are thus fastened to the rocking sections a distance to one side of the V- points, where the upper ends of the respective chains are secured to the windlass shaft. Thus when the sections are in dumping position the chains extend up along their vertical faces and laterally at an angle from their upper edges to the windlass-shaft; also, when the rocking sections are in dumping position the securing-points between the chains and the sections are to one side of the axial lines on which the sections turn. Hence when the windlass-shaft is rotated to raise the sections and close the bottom of the wagon the chains coil on the shaft and brace against the upper edges of the sections in a direction to raise their lower edges, and also the upstrain of the chains on the sections tends to directly raise the sections without pulling directly on the axes of the sections or danger of locking in a dead-center. This arrangement of the chains also allows the chains to coil spirally around the windlass-shaft and assume a direct vertical position, if need be, between the shaft and section when the wagon-bottom is closed. Hence when the wagon-body bottom is closed and loaded it is only necessary to release the windlass-shaft and the sections will automatically assume the dumping position, rotating the shaft and uncoiling the chains therefrom and discharging the contents of the wagon to the ground beneath.

- Suitable means can be provided to hold the rocking sections in closed position. For instance, I show a hook 7t at its outer end pivoted to the outer side of the wagon-body and so arranged that when the windlass-shaft is in position holding the bottom closed this hook can engage the hand-crank of the shaft and lock the parts in closed position. The hook is so arranged that it can be easily knocked from looking position when desired to dump the contents of the wagon.

The strip 6 is preferably notched at e to receive the lifting-chain of the end section when the sections are in dumping position.

It is evident that the edges of the rocking sections can be otherwise formed than here shown to lock and fit together in forming tight joints and preventing upward swing of the sections above their horizontal position.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The dum ping-wagon,substantially as described, composed of the oblong wagon-body elevated on bolsters from axles, the series of tilting sections forming the dumping-bottom thereof, said sections arranged to swing together and in the same direction and longitudinally of the wagon-body, each section having journal-bars secured ataside thereof near one edge and, respectively, to turn at the bottoms of the wagon ends, the edges of the sections beveled to overlap so that the sections can assume the horizontal position when closed together, the single horizontal transverse windlass shaft arranged centrally across the body and mounted 011 the tops of the sides thereof with a handle at the exterior of a side of the body, and exterior backing means,fiexible connections secured to said shaft and at their lower ends to the central parts of the free portions of the dumping-sections, respectively, and arranged to permit the sections to assume the vertical positions and to be drawn up by the windlass-shaft without locking on the dead-center, substantially as shown.

2. The dumping wagon comprising the body, having the strip secured longitudinally along the inner face of one side above the bottom edge thereof, the series of dumping-sections extending longitudinally the length of the body and at their ends eccentrically journaled in the ends thereof so that all the sections swing in one direction, the pivoted side edge of one end section abutting against one side of the body and the free edge of the other end section closing up against said strip when the sections are closed to their horizontal positions, the sections (except said end section) having projecting plates secured on their upper faces at their free edges, the transverse windlass-shaft extending across the body and mounted at the top of the sides with the end handle at the exterior of the body, a swinging latch or hook to engage said handle and hold the shaft against unwinding rotation, and the loose connections secured to said shaft at points, respectively, about in the vertical planes of the section-journals When the sections are in their vertical dumping positions and at their lower ends, respectively, secured to the upper faces near the free edges of said sections,whereby the sections do not lock at the dead-center and the connections press laterally against the upper edges of said sections when swinging the same up.

3. The dumping-Wagon comprising essentially the oblong body, the dumping-sections arranged longitudinally thereof and eccentric ally mounted in the ends thereof and arranged to swing to the horizontal positions with the sections overlapping and to the vertical positions, the transverse Winding-shaft on the top of the wagon-body provided with turning and locking means, and the loose connections secured to said shaft, respectively, about in the vertical planes of the axes of said sections with their lower ends secured to the upper faces of said sections, respectively, near the free edges thereof and so arranged that When the sections are in their vertical positions said connections extend up transversely of the sections and against the upper edges thereof, and thereby press laterally against said upper edges of the sections and swing the sections up without locking at the dead-center, substantially as described.

4. A dumping-Wagon comprising essentially the Wagon body, the dumping-sections eX- tending longitudinally of the same and mounted eccentrically in the ends thereof, the transverse winding-shaft mounted at the top edges of the sides of the body with the exterior crankhandle, chains secured to the shaft and to the free edges of said sections, and the swinging hook pivoted to the exterior of a Wagon-body side to engage said crank-handle when the dumping-sections are elevated and to hold the shaft against unwinding, whereby the hook can be easily knocked from the handle to dump the Wagon, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

THOS. l3. HOPPER.

Witnesses:

F. E. LUMAN, GEO. E. OoLWELL. 

